Phoumi Vongvichit

Phoumi Vongvichit (6 April 1909-7 January 1994) was President of Laos from 31 October 1986 to 15 August 1991, succeeding Souphanouvong and preceding Kaysone Phomvihane.

Biography
Phoumi Vongvichit was born on 6 April 1909 in Xieng Khouang, Laos, and he was educated in Vientiane. While serving in the colonial civil service of French Indochina, he governed Houaphan and helped the Free French in taking Sam Neua from the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. In the aftermath of the war, he joined the Lao Issara nationalist movement and supported the Viet Minh against the French government during the First Indochina War. In 1960, Vongvichit and the communist Pathet Lao allied with the Forces Armees Neutralistes after the battle of Vientiane, and in 1975 he was made Deputy Prime Minister of Laos upon the communist government's seizure of power. From 1986 to 1991 he served as acting President in the place of Prince Souphanouvong, and in 1991 he retired from the Politburo and the acting Presidency, dying three years later at the age of 84.